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Impotence
Drug Treatments
Drugs for treating ED can be taken orally, injected directly into
the penis, or inserted into the urethra at the tip of the penis. In
March 1998, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved
Viagra, the first pill to treat ED. In
August 2003, the FDA gave approval to a second oral medicine,
vardenafil hydrochloride (Levitra) and
Cialis (tadalafil). Additional oral
medicines are being tested for safety and effectiveness.
Taken an hour before sexual activity, Viagra (Sildenafil Citrate),
Cialis and Levitra work by enhancing the effects of nitric oxide, a
chemical that relaxes smooth muscles in the penis during sexual
stimulation and allows increased blood flow.
While oral medicines improve the response to sexual stimulation,
they do not trigger an automatic erection as injections do. The
recommended dose for Viagra is 50 mg, and the physician may adjust
this dose to 100 mg or 25 mg, depending on the patient.
The recommended dose for Levitra is 10 mg, and the physician may
adjust this dose to 20 mg if 10 mg is insufficient. Lower doses of 5
mg and 2.5 mg are available for patients who take other medicines or
have conditions that may decrease the body's ability to use Levitra.
The recommended dose for Cialis is 20mg and the effect lasts up to
36 hours.
None of these drugs should be used more than once a day. Men who
take nitrate-based drugs such as nitroglycerin for heart problems
should not use either drug because the combination can cause a
sudden drop in blood pressure. Also, Levitra should not be taken
with any of the drugs called alpha-blockers, which are used to treat
prostate enlargement or high blood pressure.
Oral testosterone can reduce ED in some men with low levels of
natural testosterone, but it is often ineffective and may cause
liver damage. Patients also have claimed that other oral
drugs--including yohimbine hydrochloride, dopamine and serotonin
agonists, and trazodone--are effective, but the results of
scientific studies to substantiate these claims have been
inconsistent. Also Yohimbe has potentially toxic effects.
Many men achieve stronger erections by injecting drugs into the
penis, causing it to become engorged with blood. Drugs such as
papaverine hydrochloride, phentolamine, and alprostadil (marketed as
Caverject) widen blood vessels. These drugs may create unwanted side
effects, however, including persistent erection (known as priapism)
and scarring. Nitroglycerin, a muscle relaxant, can sometimes
enhance erection when rubbed on the penis.
A system for inserting a pellet of alprostadil into the urethra is
marketed as Muse. The system uses a prefilled applicator to deliver
the pellet about an inch deep into the urethra. An erection will
begin within 8 to 10 minutes and may last 30 to 60 minutes. The most
common side effects are aching in the penis, testicles, and area
between the penis and rectum; warmth or burning sensation in the
urethra; redness from increased blood flow to the penis; and minor
urethral bleeding or spotting.
In addition to Impotence Drugs also see
Impotence Herb Treatments |
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 Studies Show Two
NaturalHerbs to Have a
Similar Physiological
Effect as Viagra- Read |
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